Applications Engineer Intern Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Ground Systems Deployment and Construction team is responsible for turning bare ground into functional drone charging sites! We're a broad, cross-functional team with skills across civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and construction engineering with a mandate to deliver world-class construction execution with zero issues in the first 30 days, on-time and on-budget, using scalable, cost-optimized, and serviceable designs.

Do you want to directly influence a wide range of engineering challenges arising from real-world, fast-paced operations? As an Applications Engineer Intern, you are the technical specialist responsible for solving application-specific challenges related to the deployment of our infrastructure in diverse environments. You take a rigorous systems-based approach to problem-solving. Your primary mission is to identify, validate, and integrate off-the-shelf (OTS) systems and commercially available products that meet our rigorous ground infrastructure requirements. Whether you are architecting a remote monitoring camera network, integrating weather sensing arrays, or designing specialized lifting and service apparatus, you ensure that Zipline's hardware functions flawlessly in every unique application.

What You'll Do  

• Contribute to the development, testing, and deployment of system improvements for the Platform 2 system supporting ground systems, commercial operations, and new deployments. 
• Develop and implement technical solutions for specialized application needs, including lifting apparatus for maintenance or weather stations for localized flight safety.
• Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with external vendors to source high-availability, low-cost commercially available products that fulfill critical system requirements.
• Work with the engineering and deployments organization to refine site requirements and transform them into deployable systems that fulfill first-principles needs.
• Define the necessary handover materials and processes to move new application solutions into a sustaining operations trajectory.

• Pursuing a degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or a related field. You must have completed the second year of your undergraduate studies. Masters and PhD students are also eligible.
• Proficiency in troubleshooting hardware and software systems, data collection and analysis, and collaborating with stakeholders to address engineering challenges.
• Experience in reading data sheets, layouts, or schematics, or possessing CAD skills, is a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to simplify complex technical information into clear, repeatable technical instructions.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills, including creating timelines, leading meetings, and providing cross-functional updates.
• Willingness to travel and work outdoors at test sites for hands-on development and testing.
• A problem-solving approach with a drive for continuous improvement in a dynamic, collaborative setting.
• Technical curiosity and a passion for user-centric design. 
• Self-directed with the ability to independently manage tasks.
• Eager to learn and grow through building strong relationships with operations and engineering teams.

This internship is a full-time position, in-person at our South San Francisco office. We will host our Fall 2026 interns from September to December.

The hourly rate for this internship is $44 per hour. Additional benefits may include relocation support, a housing stipend, overtime pay, paid sick time, and other benefits, where applicable and subject to local requirements.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

Zipline is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your point of contact at Zipline know if you require any accommodations throughout your interview process.